From Colin Eakin, M.D.

It never fails. Winter brings snow, fun in the snow and injuries in the snow. Every chilly season, I see patients suffer preventable injuries as a result of their winter escapades.

One set of injuries on the rise is caused by snowboarding. At Palo Alto Medical Foundation, we probably see five to seven patients a week who have been hurt participating in this sport.

The biggest difference between injuries sustained during skiing and snowboarding is the location of the injuries. Skiers tend to injure lower extremities, especially the knees and lower legs, which can get tangled up during a fall. Snowboarders, on the other hand, tend to injure their upper extremities.

Of particular concern is injury to a small wrist bone, which is especially prone to break if one falls with an outstretched arm. It takes a lot of time to heal. Plus, it can lead to a fracture traveling all the way up to the elbow.

Speaking of elbows, we also see elbow dislocations, along with shoulder strains, dislocations and separations.

The American Journal of Sports Medicine recently published a 10-year study of snowboarding injuries, and the results are quite interesting. It found that most of those who were injured were 30 years of age or younger, with 74 percent of injuries occurring in men and 26 percent in women.

Consistent with what we see in our offices, nearly half of the injuries were to upper extremities, and nearly half of those were fractures. The most common site of injury was the wrist, with nearly 22 percent of the total.

As you might guess, falling was the predominant mechanism of upper-extremity injuries. The study did provide one positive note: the snowboarders who wore protective wrist guards were half as likely to sustain wrist injuries as those who did not wear them.

Another interesting study published in the Journal showed that snowboarders suffer more injuries than skiers. For any given amount of terrain traveled, a snowboarder is three to four times more likely to end up with injuries requiring treatment at a hospital or clinic.

Fortunately, you can take some steps to reduce your risk of injury. First and foremost, wear protective wrist guards - they may save you a lot of grief. You should also wear a helmet, as head injuries are common as well.

If you're a beginner, you may want to take a lesson or two, especially to learn how to fall correctly. You should also know your limits. If you get tired, take a break. And don't start jumping or performing complex tricks until you're experienced and have had proper instruction.

OK, so you didn't listen to that advice and now you have gotten hurt. What should you do? Pay attention to the injury and make sure you see a doctor if it isn't getting better. You don't want to miss a fracture or ligament strain or make one worse by not getting prompt treatment.


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